Alice Cooper: zenithal horror

Music news

After touring the festivals this summer, the master of shock rock Alice Cooper once again took over the Zénith in Paris for a triumphant show.

Among the rockstars still active, Alice Cooper always ranks among the most notable. The inexorable advance of time does not seem to have any influence on his work or his performances. Indeed, with a group as united as it is solid, he manages to maintain the youthful essence of certain titles which nevertheless go back half a century, like “I'm Eighteen” or “No More Mr Nice Guy”.

Remaining in the old school while maintaining balance, Vincent Furnier and his minions follow the timeless ones such as “Poison” or “Be My Lover”, bring out of the closet nuggets such as “Lock Me Up” or “Welcome to my Nightmare”, while dodging false notes.

Whether it's guitarist Nita Strauss or drummer Glen Sobel, everyone gets their minutes of fame, in an intelligently put together show.

Of course, Alice Cooper keeps his taste for staging. The boa is out on the aptly named “Snakebite”, the required guillotine is still present after “Killer”, without forgetting the Frankenstein creature who comes to visit the group during the eponymous track. The concert is also sprinkled with confetti and bathed in quality lighting. Faced with such a performance, the audience is jubilant and asks for more, with an hour and a half of hard rock that is both old school and timeless, with lots of anthemic choruses and powerful riffs. One more success for a complete artist in full mastery of his art.

Find this live report on Alice Cooper and many other topics in our weekly n°172, available via our online store.

Setlist:
  1. Lock Me Up
  2. Welcome to the Show
  3. No More Mr. Nice Guy
  4. I'm Eighteen
  5. Under My Wheels
  6. Bed of Nails
  7. Billion Dollar Babies
  8. Snakebite
  9. Be My Lover
  10. Lost in America
  11. Hey Stoopid
  12. Drum solo
  13. Welcome to My Nightmare
  14. Cold Ethyl
  15. Go to Hell
  16. Poison
  17. Feed My Frankenstein
  18. Guitar solo
  19. Black Widow Jam
  20. Ballad of Dwight Fry
  21. Killer
  22. I Love the Dead
  23. Elected
  24. School's Out / Another Brick in the Wall pt.2
Staff

Written by

Christopher Johnson

Christopher Johnson is a dedicated writer and key contributor to the WECB website, Emerson College's student-run radio station. Passionate about music, radio communication, and journalism, Christopher pursues his craft with a blend of meticulous research and creative flair. His writings on the site cover an array of subjects, from music reviews and artist interviews to event updates and industry news. As an active member of the Emerson College community, Christopher is not only a writer but also an advocate for student involvement, using his work to foster increased engagement and enthusiasm within the school's radio and broadcasting culture. Through his consistent and high-quality outputs, Christopher Johnson helps shape the voice and identity of WECB, truly embodying its motto of being an inclusive, diverse, and enthusiastic music community.